The first round of the 2022 French presidential election is being held on Sunday.

Polling stations have opened at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) and will close at 1800 GMT when the first exit polls will be published.

The incumbent President of France, Emmanuel Macron of La République En Marche! (LREM), who won the 2017 presidential election and whose first term lasts until 13 May 2022, announced on 3 March 2022 that he was launching his re-election bid to a second five-year term for which he is eligible under the Constitution of France.

Far-right candidate Marine Le Pen poses an unexpected threat to President Emmanuel Macron's re-election hopes, according to opinion polls.

The election is taking place just before the 2022 legislative election, which will be held on 12 June with runoffs on 19 June, to elect the 577 members of the National Assembly, the lower house of the French Parliament. (ILKHA)